The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-03-21
THE BUFFALO FIRE.
8 SEARCHING IN THE RUINS
For bodies Of tbs Dehd-The Death Of
a Man who rsriiod liis Lilo TO Save
Little Giri-Somo Thrilling Ex.
porlsncoA-The Wires must 10.

perisncea-The Wires must 70.
BUFFALO, March l0.-Tho whole police
force Of the city was required to-day to
keep people moving on Main street. They
even fisked their lives to got glimpse Of
the smoking embers Of that tlre.trap, the
Richmond. From the Eagle street ap.
proach people thought they could smell
burning flesh. The rescuing force risked
their lives IN looking for bodies, for the
walls were very shaky, and 1t was feared
the Mayor would forbid work until they
had been razsd. He thought Of doing 20,
but Oh account Of thousands Of indignant
proteats, changed his mind.
A few minutes before noon a charrcd
and headless trunk was dug up under the
ruins oi Ulbrlch X kingslsy's book store.
A razor blade WAS lyiug closa beside 1t.
At the undertaking rooms, where the
body was taken, Thousands OF PERSONS
cougregated. The surgeons made an ex.
animation and found 1t a man. undor
the legs WAS double handful Of charrsd
undertaking. Hiram Benedict, ef Lock.
port, and his son, examined this, and In
some way came to the conclusion that the
body was that Of Hiram Benedict, Jr., Of
Lockport. The father WAS looking for the
young man all day yesterday. He was
seem to register at the Richmond at 9
o'clock Friday morning.
II. B. Rumsey, who rescued little Jennie
Mann from the flames and carried her
from the fifth floor, died at the Fitch Acct.
dent Hospital early this morning. It was
known from the first by the physicians
that he could not recover. He was in
jursd by hts leap with the girl from the
roof Of BunnelPs Museum, and besides be.
ing badly burned he had inhaled the
flames while rushing through the Sea Of
fire. He was delirious and raYed with
pain, and constantly called for the little
girl he saved. At l2 o'clock last night he
reRained consciousness, and his first aues.
ton oi the doctors was as to whether he
would live. He sank rapidly and died at
2 o'clock. His wife is coming from Fl.
Wayne, Ind. Mr.. Rumssy was an Old
naval officer, and his son is now on q
United States man-of.war, cruising in the
Mediterranean. Rumsey Until lately had
been extensively engaged in the cattle
business.
A citizens indignation meeting was
held this afternoon at the Board OF Trade
building to consider the overhead wire
matter. 1t Is said that but for the wires
around the Richmond no lives would have
been lost. James N. Matthews, editor Of
the Express, made a speech: "The com.
panies," he began, "say that they can
bring an expert who can cut the wires in
half minute. Why don't they send
these experts to the fires? I say, cut
them down. III cut auy down that are
10 front Of my building and dsfy the con-
sequences.
Resolutions wero adopted calling upon
the Common Council to order the wires
down Immediately, and to haye the cables
cut of the poles bsiose Monday. The
telegraph companies understand that
short work will be made OF the sbles Il
they are not at once removed. .-a-
TIE DEATH ROLL.
The death list is, to certain extent, a
matter Of conjecture, but is as followa:
Wilson Purcell, broker, e years old,
killed by injuries in escaping. He jumped
to the roof Of an adjoining saloon and
slipped through rope with which he was
being. lowered to the sidewalk, the fell
breaking his neck. he lived in Buffalo,
His people, from Clifton, Ont, are here.
Mary Wolf was found yesterday forenoon
under the ruins Of Palscio'a cigar store.
She lived in Lockport, n. Y, and was
beautiful girl. Her sister arrived here
to-day. Hiram Benedict, Jr., Of Lock-
port, N. Y, (uncertain). The young man
registered at 2 o'clock Friday morning.
The body is terribly burned, but from bits
of clothing the father and brother think
they have established his identity. Henry
B. Rumsey, Of Fort Wayne. Ind. died
early this morning at the Fitch Emer.
gency. Mark B. Osborn, assistant mana
ger and room clerk, has not been found,
though many thought the body identified
as Benedict was his remains. Mary Welsh,
room girl, probably psrished. Her cousin,
Nellie Weich, escaped by ladder, leay-
ing her behind. J. B. Acker, Of Scranton,
Pa, was at the hotel and is missing. 4
dispatch from Scranton says he has not
been heard from. Minnie Kelly, a cham
bermaid, was asleep In her room and has
not been eeen. Katie Kent, servant,
slept on the fifth door, and IS supposed
iell back into the flames. i
Among the missing are Peter DAILY, o
railroad agent, travelling out OF Baaslo;
-- Thompson, Philadelphia whip
agent; - Johnson, a Toronto railroad
man; Joseph Sayre, Of Erie, Pa (; J. G.
Pratt. OF Albany; Captain W. II. shep-
ard Ct Cleveland; --G Goldsmith, agent
for tho Normandie Shirt Company, New
York.
Clinton Bidwell is badly burned, but
has been resting we'll to-day. He mourns
constantly con- for Mack Osborn, the dead
clerk, who slept with him. The others
who were injured, With few exceptions,
are getting on and will recover.
Tho telephone company to-night agreed
to remove all wires not In uss at once, take
down the most dangerous cable on Main
street, and remove the others as soon as
prac.icable..-,
THRILLINa R1rRRlRScas.
An Albany. dispatch :eays: A reporter
visited Mossrs. Willard Welsh, insurance
adjuater, and Elihu ,R. Smith, travelling
salesman for Larrabce 4 Co., this morn.
ing. These gentlemen wsrs guests at tho
ill.fatsd Richmond Hotel, In Buffalo, aud
reached home this morning. Mr.. Welsh
says:
/ WAS awakened by the ringing Of the
electric ball In my room, and hastily drew
on my pants and shoes. I then opened
the door Of my room, and as | did 50
flames rushed ID. | slammed the door
shut and reflected second. That time
convinced me that desperate measures
were necessary. Fire had burst through
my bath room door and was licking up
tha bod ana fnrniahinua I thxaur thn win.